Peter Anthony Togni (born September 12, 1959) is a freelancer Canadian composer and broadcaster based in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...

Biography

Togni was born in Pembroke, Ontario in 1959, and is the son of organ master

Victor Togni Victor Togni (15 March 1935 - 29 March 1965) was a Swiss Canadian organist, improviser, composer, and teacher. His compositions received positive reception. He won first prize at the American Guild of Organists' Improvisation Competition on June ...

. He spent his early years in Toronto, where he attended

St. Michael's Choir School St. Michael's Choir School (also known as SMCS, The Choir School, or St. Mike's Choir) is a semi-Independent school, private Catholic Church, Catholic Cathedral school, choir school for boys from Educational stage, grades 3-12 in Toronto, Ontario, ...

. He later went on to study at the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

in Vancouver, studying organ with Frederick Geoghegan and composition with

Stephen Chatman Stephen Chatman (born 28 February 1950) is an American-born Canadian composer residing in Vancouver. His compositions have been performed across Canada and in the United States. Early life and education Chatman was born in Faribault, Minnesota ...

. He went on to study organ and improvisation in Paris, France, with the great French organist

Jean Langlais Jean François-Hyacinthe Langlais III (15 February 1907 – 8 May 1991) was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser. He described himself as "" ("Breton, of Catholic faith"). Biography Langlais was born in La ...

. Togni also studied composition with

Allain Gaussin Allain Gaussin (born 6 November 1943) is a noted French composer. Gaussin was born in Saint-Sever-Calvados, Normandy. He is a laureate of the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP) where he studied with Olivier ...

at the

Schola Cantorum The Schola Cantorum de Paris ( being ) is a private conservatory in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera. History The Schol ...

in Paris where he was awarded first prize in composition.

Musical career

Togni's music has been heard at Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall, the Moscow Conservatory, the Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai, to the Vatican in Rome for Pope John Paul II. His music is broadcast regularly in Canada on the

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

, as well as internationally, on the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, Classic FM,

Deutsche Welle (; "German Wave"), commonly shortened to DW (), is a German state-funded television network, state-owned international broadcaster funded by the Federal Government of Germany. The service is available in 32 languages. DW's satellite tele ...

and

Radio France Radio France () is the French national public radio broadcaster. Stations Radio France offers seven national networks: *France Inter — Radio France's "generalist media, generalist" station, featuring entertaining and informative talk mixed wi ...

. Togni's works have been released on XXI Records, CBC Records, Hänssler Classics, and Warner Classics UK. In 2010, he recorded his concerto, Lamentatio Jeremiah Prophetae, for bass clarinet and choir. This concerto was recorded by bass clarinettist Jeff Reilly and the

Elmer Iseler Singers The Elmer Iseler Singers is a professional chamber choir based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The twenty-voice choir, conducted by Artistic Director ''Lydia Adams'', founded by Dr. Elmer Iseler in 1979, is one of Canada’s leading choral ensemb ...

and produced by Manfred Eicher. Later, it was released on the

ECM ECM may refer to the following: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...

label. In October 2012 the Togni Trio's most recent recording, ''Spatium,'' was released. Additionally, in 2013, Togni's latest solo CD, ''Piano Alone'', came out. His composition ''Illuminations,'' a concerto for bass clarinet and string orchestra, received a nomination for the

Juno Award The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...

for Classical Composition of the Year in 2006. In 2011, ''Lamentations of Jeremiah'', another of Togni's compositions, was nominated for both an East Coast Music Award in the Classical Music category and a Juno Award in the same category. It was also a finalist for the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award in 2010. In 2012, Togni's work ''Missa Liberationis'', developed in collaboration with the Latvian Youth Choir BALSIS, was published by Musica Baltica. It premiered in Canada performed by Pro Coro Canada. That same year, Togni was honored with the Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal, recognizing his contributions to Canadian community life. His project ''Responsio'', featuring bass clarinetist Jeff Reilly and a vocal quartet, premiered in July 2013. The recording, released in 2015 by

ATMA Classique ATMA Classique is an independent classical record label based in Montreal, and welcomes artists from Quebec, across Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territorie ...

, received critical acclaim and won the grand prize at the 2014 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. ''Warrior Songs'', a piece for percussionist Jerry Granelli and choir, premiered in Boulder, Colorado, in 2014 and had its Canadian premiere in March 2015 with the Elmer Iseler Singers in Toronto. Togni is also involved in the creation of ''Isis and Osiris, Gods of Egypt'', an opera with a libretto by Sharon Singer. The opera, in collaboration with Opera in Concert, premiered in April 2016. Togni is also a pianist, improviser, and organist. He has given many solo recitals across Canada and in Europe. In July 2015, Togni took part in the 53rd

Magadino Magadino () is a former Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Locarno (district), Locarno in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 25 April 2010, the former municipalities of Caviano, Contone, Ge ...

International Organ Festival in Switzerland, which was co-founded by his late father, Victor Togni. He has also worked extensively in Canada as a church musician. He was music director at St. Mary's Cathedral in Calgary, an organist at St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto and organist and choir master at St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Halifax. He was the organist in the world-renowned trio Sanctuary alongside bass clarinetist Jeff Reilly and cellist Christoph Both. Sanctuary, which was based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was formed in 1999, and performed across Canada and around the world, at venues such as St. John's, Smith Square in London, Saint-Séverin in Paris and the Dome Cathedral in

Riga, Latvia Riga ( ) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city lim ...

. In 2008 they were the first Canadians since Glenn Gould to play at Philharmonic Hall, in St. Petersburg Russia. They have also made several recordings including their CD ''The heart has its reasons'' for Warner Classics UK, and their most recent CD ''Estuary'', was released in 2015. The Togni Trio, a jazz ensemble with drummer Malcolm Gould and bassist George Koeller, performs throughout Canada and the United States and has two released recordings. Togni also regularly collaborates with artists such as jazz saxophonist Mike Murley and cellist Jeffrey Ziegler. For over twenty years, Togni has also been a broadcaster, hosting radio programs for

CBC Radio 2 CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards a ...

, including That Time of the Night, Stereo Morning, Weekender and Choral Concert. He currently resides in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Nominations and awards

* 2006 - Illuminations - Juno nomination; Classical Composition of the Year * 2006 - The Heart Has Its Reasons; East Coast Music Award nomination; Classical Recording of the Year * 2010 - Lamentations of Jeremiah - Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award Finalist * 2011 - Lamentations of Jeremiah - East Coast Music Award nomination; Classical Recording of the Year * 2011 - Lamentations of Jeremiah - Juno nomination; Classical Composition of the Year * 2012 - Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal * 2014 - Responsio - Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award Grand Prize Winner * 2016 - Estuary; CD by the Sanctuary Trio - East Coast Music Award nomination; Classical Recording of the Year * 2016 - Responsio; CD - Juno nomination; Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance

Selected works

Choral

* ''When the Dawn Appears'' (1989) – Choir SSAA * ''Create in me a clean heart'' (1990) – Choir SATB * ''Ave Verum'' (1994) – Choir SATB * ''Psalm 98'' (1997) – Choir SATB, TTBB * ''Antiphon'' (1999) – Choral version SATB * ''Totus Tuus'' (2001) – Choir SATB * ''Grandmother Moon'' (2001) – Double Choir SATB & soloists * ''Missa Domus Mea'' (2001) – Choir SATB * ''Sacer Dotes Domini'' (2001) – Choir SATB * ''Prayer of St. Francis'' (pre-2002) – Choir SATB and Piano (Kellman Hall) * ''Of the Fathers Love Begotten'' (2003) – Choir SATB * ''Lamentations of Jeremiah'' (2007) – Choir SATB and Bass Clarinet * ''Cantico delle Creature'' (2007) – Choir SATB and Organ * ''Mass of St. Thomas Aquinas'' (2008) – Parish Mass, Congregational setting and Organ * ''Requiem et Lux'' (2009) – Mixed choir * ''Lux Aeterna'' (2010) – Gamelan & six voices * ''Warrior Songs'' (2014) – Percussion and mixed choir * ''Da Pacem Domine'' (2014) - From Warrior Songs * ''Earth Voices'' (2014) - Choir * ''The Final Word is Love'' (2015) - SATB a capella

Instrumental

* ''Tenebrae Litanies'' (1991) – String Orchestra * ''Hymns of Heaven and Earth'' (String Quartet No.1) (2001) – String Quartet * ''Caspian Blue'' (2004) – Piano and String Quartet * ''Lamentations of Jeremiah'' (2007) – Choir SATB and Bass Clarinet * ''O Magnum Mysterium'' (2007) – Solo Piano * ''Solstice Nights'' (2008) – Oboe D'Amore and String Quartet * ''Piano Verses'' (2008) – Solo Piano * ''Personal Legend'' (String Quartet No.2) (2008) – String Quartet * ''Seven Preludes'' (2010) – Organ

Albums

* ''Sea Dreams'' Luminous Voices; Leaf Music (2020) * ''Estuary'' Sanctuary Trio; Independent (2016) * ''Responsio''; ATMA classique (2015) * ''Piano Alone'' Peter-Anthony Togni; Independent (2013) * ''Spatium'' The Togni Trio; Independent (2013) * ''Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophet''

, Jeff Reilly; ECM (2010) * ''The heart has its reasons'' Sanctuary; Warner Classics UK (2005) * ''Christus'' St. Mary's Basilica Gallery Choir (2004) * ''Refuge'' Floating Senses; Hanssler Classics (2003) * ''Puer natus in Bethlehem, Alleluia!'' Elmer Iseler Singers; CBC Records (2003) * ''Sanctuary'' Sanctuary; XXIII Records (2001) * ''Shimmeree'' Peter Togni Trio; Atma Records (1997)

References

External links

Peter A. Togni biography
at the

Canadian Music Center The Canadian Music Centre was founded in 1959 by a group of Canadian composers who saw a need to create a repository for Canadian music. It now holds Canada's largest collection of Canadian concert music, and works to promote the music of its As ...

la schola cantorumSanctuaryElmer Iseler Singers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Togni, Peter 1959 births Living people Classical music radio presenters CBC Radio hosts Musicians from Halifax, Nova Scotia Musicians from Ontario People from Pembroke, Ontario Sacred music composers Schola Cantorum de Paris alumni University of British Columbia alumni Canadian male classical composers 20th-century Canadian classical composers 21st-century Canadian classical composers 20th-century Canadian composers 20th-century Canadian male musicians 21st-century Canadian male musicians